Renowned American film director, producer and screenwriterFrancis Ford Coppolawill spend five days in Helsinki this month as a guest of the National Audiovisual Institute (Kavi) and the Department of Film, Television and Scenography (ELO) at Aalto University.

The award-winning director is best known for the highly-acclaimedGodfather trilogy (1972–1990). The first two films in the series are widely regarded as cinematic masterpieces and have garnered praise from critics and audiences alike.

According tothe European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), fraudsters have offered the governments of 12 EU member states, including Finland, a total of 1 billion non-existent COVID -19 vaccine doses worth 14 billion euros. 

Ville Itälä, the head of OLAF, told Yle that criminals outside the EU are most likely responsible for the scams, none of which have proved successful due to the intervention of authorities. The hoaxes have been linked to organised crime syndicates as well as independent fraudsters. 

PRIME MINISTER SANNA MARIN WAS PART OF A TENSE EXCHANGE with the Spanish Prime Minister over the use of EU funds during this weekend's coronavirus recovery talks, according to a report in the British newspaper the Financial Times (paywall). 

SUPPORTERS OF THE SO-CALLED SILAKKALIIKE, or 'Herring Movement', an antifascist and anti-discrimination activist group, faced off against members of the far-right Soldiers of Odin in central Helsinki yesterday. 

THE FINNISH BROWN BEARS at Helsinki's Korkeasaari Zoo have emerged from an exceptionally brief hibernation period, due largely to record winter temperatures that have put this season on track to be the warmest winter in 100 years. 

THE JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES in Helsinki's Roihuvuori neighbourhood have begun to bloom, offering a colourful vista that is rarely seen in other parts of Finland. 

CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE BEGINNING OF CHINESE NEW YEAR have begun in earnest in central Helsinki, where thousands of attendees have gathered on Kansalaistori to enjoy Chinese music, dancing, and food. 

THE HELSINKI ZOO AT KORKEASAARI HOSTED a festive Christmas event today. You can see more photos from Christmas at the zoo by scrolling through the gallery. 

The coronavirus crisis has led to travel bans and cancelled events, wreaking havoc on Christmas plans everywhere. The slump in tourism has hit Finland hard this year, particularly in Santa’s hometown of Rovaniemi. Additionally, some districts may not get to experience snow on Christmas day. 

Despite the trying circumstances, however, the country remains well-lit this Christmas, with decorations dazzling passersby, particularly in the capital city, and lending a cheerful message of hope in the gloom of winter.  

WITH HELSINKI'S ICONIC FINLANDIA HALL set to close for a multi-year renovation and restoration project, the first designs for its temporary replacement have already been drawn up. The 'Pikku-Finlandia' ('Little Finlandia') Hall will be a temporary pavilion-style structure located next to the main building. 

CONCERNS OVER THE EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS has triggered a wave of stockpiling across the Finnish capital, with supermarket shelves being emptied of goods such as hand sanitiser, soap, toilet paper, and non-perishable foodstuffs. 

The Parliament grounds in Helsinki were the site of stirring images on Thursday as members of Finland’s cultural and events industry gathered to protest ongoing coronavirus restrictions. 

Representatives of the events and cultural fields claim that restrictions have practically paralysed the industry, which employs approximately 120,000 people, rendering them unable to earn sufficient income.

A COLLECTION OF IMAGES TAKEN ABOVE THE STREETS OF HELSINKI has highlighted the scale to which the COVID-19 virus has reshaped life in the Finnish capital.

TAMPERE CITY COUNCIL HAS UNVEILED the trams that will be used in the city's first tram network, due to be fully operational sometime in 2021. Once completed, the tram network will span 15km across the greater city region, with a total of 23 stops. 

NEAR-RECORD LEVELS OF SNOWFALL have blanketed much of Northern Finland this week, prompting authorities to issue a number of "severe" avalanche warnings in Finnish Lapland. 

Environmental activists with Extinction Rebellion Finland (Elokapina) have gathered on Mannerheimintie as part of a protest that began on Thursday afternoon but continued overnight till Friday. 

Around 120 demonstrators pitched tents and mattresses near the Parliament so they could sleep on the street on Thursday night. Police have been stationed at the spot and are directing the traffic on Mannerheimintie, which is the main thoroughfare in Helsinki.   

FINNISH HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORES up and down the country donned formal ballroom wear to participate in the traditional annual Vanhojenpäivä, or 'Old Day' dance. Hundreds of Helsinki students arrived at the Helsingin Jäähallli to continue the century-long tradition. 

FINNISH FINAL-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS paraded through central Helsinki today as part of the traditional annual Penkkarit, in which students celebrate the end of class in preparation for their final matriculation exams later in the Spring. 

A NUMBER OF FINNISH POSTAGE STAMPS have won international recognition for their design, with one (main image) being voted as the 'best in the world' for the 2013-2017 period. The annual Nexofil Awards consists of a panel representing 37 countries, tasked with awarding recognition to the best stamp designs around the globe. 

TWO €74 MILLION FRENCH FIGHTER JETS arrived at Pirkkala Air Force Base today to conduct simulated war games above the Finnis skies, in an attempt by the French to secure a €10 billion contract from the Finnish Defence Ministry.